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New Zealand Rugby refuses to take the blame for Super Rugby’s departure from South Africa but has no interest in getting into a tit-for-tat battle, via the media, with any of its Sanzaar partners.
Chief Executive Mark Robinson showed no interest in fanning the flames after his South African counterpart Jurie Roux and Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan were less than flattering towards NZR on Wednesday.
Robinson was playing with a straight bat, not interested in being the bully or playing the victim when he divided all things Super Rugby and Rugby Championship with the media on Wednesday, despite an ongoing dispute over the schedule of the Rugby Championship.
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NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has explained the impact that the departure of South African teams from Super Rugby will have on his organization.
Following confirmation that the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers will be leaving Super Rugby for an expanded Pro14 club competition in the Northern Hemisphere, Roux blamed NZR for his departure, claiming he was only interested in a national Super Rugby display or trans-Tasmania.
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Meanwhile, McLennan claimed that the relationship between RA and NZR is at its “lowest point.”
Robinson vigorously denied both claims and insists that there are strong relationships and ongoing dialogue with all Sanzaar partners, including the ongoing work to find a resolution for the All Blacks to return home from the Rugby Championship and emerge from previously administered isolation. of Christmas day.
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Mark Robinson insists that the Springboks world champions are committed to the Rugby Championship for the long term.
“This is just a reflection of the fact that there is a great deal of uncertainty and distress everywhere,” Robinson said.
He didn’t see the need for NZR to indulge in a war of words for all that was said in the media because that energy is better spent immersing in the massive amount of work that needs to be done in the current Covid-19 landscape.
“For us, it doesn’t do much to go into a tit-for-tat in the media with emerging half-truths and speculations because ultimately they get us nowhere,” Robinson said.
“We can’t control what others are going to say and it’s not consuming too much energy and we don’t care, to be honest we just have to really focus on what’s important to us.”
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Work continues as NZR tries to find a solution for the All Blacks to return home from the Rugby Championship before Christmas Day.
Robinson and NZR have no interest in taking responsibility for South Africa’s absence from Super Rugby, pointing to the fact that they have been toying with the idea for much of the last decade.
“South Africa has been very open about the fact that they have considered going to the Northern Hemisphere on several occasions and feel that the time is right to further investigate those opportunities,” Robinson said.
He remains fully confident that South Africa remains committed to the Rugby Championship despite its departure from the Sanzaar Super Rugby competition and says that NZR has no reason to believe that South Africa, Australia or Argentina are not committed to the Rugby Championship at all. long term.
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Rugby Australia President Hamish McLennan says the relationship with NZ Rugby is at “an all-time low”.
“Regarding Australia, Brent [Impey] and I was on a zoom call with Hamish [McLennan] and Rob [Clarke] 10-12 days ago where they were inviting us to host and come and stay with them and enjoy the hospitality with them, so I think it’s a bit of a braggart to be honest, “Robinson said.
“They clearly have a strategy and a narrative that they want to portray, and we don’t operate like that.
“But we respect the fact if they want to, and we will continue to participate in future opportunities with them and we will just have to go ahead with our own business and ignore some of the things that are said that way.”
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Despite the fact that South African teams toyed with the idea of leaving Super Rugby for years, Jurie Roux claims that his departure is the fault of NZ Rugby.
Exactly what form or shape Super Rugby will take in 2021 remains to be seen, but Robinson was optimistic that more details will be available soon.
“Our immediate focus has been to get through this year and then determining what will happen in 2021 is a real priority,” he said.
South Africa’s exit from Super Rugby prompted Sky, which holds the broadcast rights to Super Rugby, to make a statement to the New Zealand Stock Exchange, but on Wednesday Robinson was unable to commit to whether the loss of the South African teams would lead to a financial hit in a reformed broadcast deal.
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All Blacks captain Sam Cane was not surprised by South Africa’s exit from Super Rugby.
Ongoing talks with NZR’s streaming partners will continue, he said.
Robinson was not surprised by South Africa’s well-marked exit from Super Rugby and the news was not a surprise to All Blacks captain Sam Cane either.
“To be fair, there were rumors and we had heard that he would probably be in the cards for the past few years,” Cane said Wednesday.
With so much uncertainty, Robinson said it was too early to say whether South African teams could return to Super Rugby in the distant future.
